100 Ways to Cook with Salmon

You won't fall short on ways to enjoy this flavorful and delicious fish.

You won't fall short on ways to enjoy this flavorful and delicious fish.

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Cooking Light

January 22, 2013

1 of 100Photo: Johnny Autry

Cooking with Salmon

Salmon not only tastes delicious, but it's also a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A and B. Nearly any time of year, you can find at least one variety of this flavorful fish that's in season. Pacific varieties are best from early summer through fall, while Atlantic salmon sees a slightly longer season from summer through early winter. No matter which variety you prefer, you'll be cooking it up in style with this extensive collection of healthy salmon recipes.

First up, Cedar Plank-Grilled Salmon with Mango Kiwi Salsa. Since the skin won't be in direct contact with the grill to get nice and crisp, go with skinless fillets. The smoky fish can stand up to the spicy sweetness of a tropical fruit salsa. Prepare it before the fish so the flavors have time to meld.

Plank-Grilled Salmon with Grape Relish

Serve this dish with pinot noir. Briny olives, sweet grapes, and rich salmon match well with the balance of earthiness and acidity found in a pinot noir. Substitute picholine or other green olives, if necessary.

Crispy Salmon and Arugula Salad with Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette

This dressing is so fresh, so addictive, you might want to spoon it over everything. Simply made from a base of carrots and orange juice, it has Asian overtones, as does the salad, with its droplets of roasted sesame oil and rice vinegar. This sophisticated dish comes together quickly and is a great, healthy option for the family..

Grilled Salmon with Chorizo and Fingerlings

Smoked Salmon and Egg Sandwich

This decadent sandwich would be perfect for brunch. Look for salmon that's labeled "wild Alaskan," and you can be sure you're getting sustainable seafood. You can also use soft-boiled eggs in place of the poached eggs.

Tomato-Citrus Salmon

Indian-Spiced Salmon with Basmati Rice

"The Indian-Spiced Salmon and Nutty Basmati Rice were both great!" said reader Connie Hendon. "They were easy to prepare and did not require a lot of time. I simply cooked some fresh green beans to go with these two dishes, and we had an easy, complete meal. My family loved them. Oh, and of course no one noticed that it did not have gluten."

Marinated Salmon with Mango-Kiwi Relish

Marinate salmon fillets in a homemade mixture of honey, soy sauce, and olive oil, cook in a grill pan or skillet, and serve with a homemade fruit relish for an easy salmon entrée with a tropical twist. Pair with mixed greens and steamed couscous for a complete meal.

Salmon with Spicy Cucumber Salad and Peanuts

The spicy-sweet vinegar dressing in the salad complements the salmon seasoned with just salt and pepper. To easily seed the cucumber, peel, cut in half lengthwise, and scrape the seeds out with a spoon.

Five-Spice Salmon with Leeks in Parchment

Cooking this fish in a parchment pouch uses both the radiant heat of the oven and steam inside the packet to produce moist, succulent results. Toasting and grinding the spices takes a little extra time but pays off with vivid flavor.

Salmon Croquettes

Smoked Salmon Crostini

You can prepare the salmon topping earlier in the day and keep it refrigerated until ready to assemble. These appetizers look great assembled like canapés. Serve these immediately after toasting and assembling since gluten-free bread can toughen quickly if left out after heating or toasting.

Crispy Skin Salmon with Fiery Asian Slaw

Fresh Corn Blinis with Smoked Salmon and Chive Cream

Traditional blinis consist of flour pancakes topped with sour cream and caviar, but our version features sweet corn pancakes topped with cold-smoked salmon and homemade chive cream. These easy apps are a great way to use up extra corn-on-the-cob you might have picked up at the market.

Cajun Salmon Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

This recipe uses canned salmon to make things quicker and easier. The crisp pan-fried patties get flavor from spicy Cajun seasoning and pungent Dijon mustard, as well as the garlicky, creamy aioli for dipping.

Grilled Orange-and-Bourbon Salmon

To make a complete meal, serve the salmon over a bed of brown rice, with green beans and a salad on the side. Save some orange-and-bourbon marinade and drizzle over the salmon and rice to impart complementing flavors of bourbon and citrus throughout.

Smoked Salmon and Cheese Mini Twice-Baked Potatoes

This scrumptious low-cal finger food was developed by reader Abigail McMahon who was inspired by Ireland. "I love Ireland and the country's wonderful food. When I think of Irish food, the first items that come to mind are potatoes, salmon, and cheese." Luckily, this recipe has all three.

Chipotle Salmon Burgers

Shape the patties up to eight hours in advance, and cook just before serving. Use a grill pan or nonstick skillet to cook them since they may not hold up on a standard grill. If you have a mini food processor, use it to prepare the mayonnaise mixture. You can use regular hamburger buns instead of English muffins.

Grilled Salmon with Roasted Corn Relish

Just about every ingredient here is a seasonal specialty, from the corn, tomato, and chile peppers to fresh cilantro and salmon. Charring the chiles, corn, and salmon on the grill infuses everything with a light smoky flavor that brings the whole dish together.

Salmon Croquettes with Rémoulade

A secret herb was the key to this recipe for croquette conoisseur klasshen, who also offers a tip. "Delicious! I've made dozens of different salmon croquette recipes, but never with tarragon. The tarragon adds such a unique taste. I highly recommend chilling the mixture according to the directions. I skipped the chilling and had a hard time getting the patties to stay together."

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

Brown sugar and bourbon combine to create the perfect sweet and smoky flavor that infuses this already-flavorful fish. Cooking time can vary, depending on the thickness of salmon. As a general rule, cook 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. Then check the center and make sure it’s light pink and opaque.

Salmon with Hoisin Glaze

Grilled Wild Salmon and Vegetables

You often can find different varieties of locally grown onions at farmers' markets and occasionally at supermarkets. This recipe calls for more readily available varieties that you shouldn’t have any trouble finding. Use a grill basket to cook the fish and vegetables.

Harissa Salmon

Harissa is a spicy Tunisian condiment that also pairs well with chicken. Our homemade version, which you can prepare a day or two ahead and refrigerate, is a bit milder than the fiery canned harissa you'd find in Middle Eastern markets. Add more chile paste if you want to turn up the heat.

Coconut-Crusted Salmon with Tamarind Barbecue Sauce

Make your own barbecue sauce using sour-sweet tamarind instead of vinegar for a lower-sodium, Southeast Asian twist on a familiar condiment. Store leftover sauce for up to one week in an airtight container in the fridge. Use it on shrimp, roasted pork, or chicken. Serve with jasmine rice and lime wedges.

Moroccan Salmon

Sweet peppers, tangy lemon slices, and heady spices come together in this simple dish that yields tender fish and vegetables in a flavorful sauce. Serve in bowls over couscous or basmati rice to soak up the tasty juices.

Maple Grilled Salmon

The sweet-sour marinade is cooked down to a syrupy glaze that's brushed on the salmon as it cooks. The citrus and maple flavors would also be tasty with pork. Garnish fillets with orange slices, if desired.

Broiled Salmon with Roasted Tomato Sauce

You can store salmon, loosely wrapped, on your refrigerator's bottom shelf for no more than two days before cooking. Roasting the tomatoes imbues them with flavor that's a delicious match for the rich broiled salmon. Garnish fish with a sprig of oregano.

Smoked Salmon and Dill Tortilla

"I always request authentic bagels and lox when my sister visits from New York City," said reader recipe developer KKD. "In this recipe, I used smoked salmon to create a Spanish tortilla with buttery potatoes, onions, and dill. Serve with fresh fruit. Make this the night before, refrigerate, and serve at room temperature."

Spiced Salmon with Mustard Sauce

A basic honey mustard adds the unexpected ginger and pepper notes of turmeric to make this dish different. Broiling leaves the salmon moist and tender and caramelizes the sauce slightly for additional flavor. Greens make a great side―try kale cooked with hoisin sauce; chard sautéed with garlic, lemon juice, and pepper; or a spinach salad with red onions and vinaigrette.

Roasted Salmon with Fresh Vegetables

Bagged fresh green beans and fuss-free grape tomatoes, along with potato wedges, make up the vegetables and starch for this dish, all prepared in one pan. Because they take longest, the potatoes cook alone for the first 10 minutes.

Classic Gravlax

Serve this buttery-soft cured salmon as an appetizer on brown bread with fresh dill, Dijon mustard, thinly sliced cucumbers, and grated lemon rind. We found that high-quality wild salmon yields the best results.

Salmon en Papillote with Dill-Yogurt Sauce

Seared Salmon on Herbed Mashed Peas

Simply seasoned salmon shows off its flaky texture atop a unique side―mashed green peas with basil, tarragon, and lemon. The color is gorgeous, the flavor fresh, and the texture creamy, but the best part is the peas are much more healthful than starchy mashed potatoes loaded down with butter, cream, and salt.

Salmon Burgers

Give beef a break and try quick, simple salmon burgers. Combine salmon with red onion and fresh basil to make a hearty burger with less than 200 calories. Enjoy on toasted focaccia bread for a gourmet meal that’s ready in 10 minutes.